As the world shifts towards renewable energy and electric vehicles, the demand for batteries is skyrocketing.
However, this surge has a downside: a looming shortage of lithium and cobalt, key ingredients in today’s batteries.
But researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have a solution: sodium-ion batteries, a groundbreaking technology that could change the game.
The European Commission’s Critical Raw Materials Act highlights the urgent need for such innovations.
As we move away from fossil fuels, the demand for battery materials is expected to rise dramatically. This shift demands local production of batteries and a steady supply of raw materials.
However, there’s a catch: the current reliance on lithium and cobalt, mostly mined in a few places worldwide, poses a significant risk of supply disruptions.
Lithium-ion batteries, the current favorite, are not without their problems. Lithium is in short supply, and we can’t make these batteries fast enough to meet the growing demand for electric cars.
Worse, lithium deposits might run out in the long run. This is where sodium-ion batteries come into the picture.
What Makes Sodium-ion Batteries Special?
Sodium-ion batteries are an exciting new technology, offering a more sustainable option.
Unlike lithium-ion batteries, they use sodium, a substance found in everyday table salt, and biomass from the forest industry. This makes them a potentially more sustainable and widely available alternative.
Chalmers University’s researchers conducted a life cycle assessment of sodium-ion batteries. They examined their total environmental and resource impact, from raw material extraction to manufacturing.
Their findings are encouraging: sodium-ion batteries have a similar climate impact to lithium-ion ones but with a much lower risk of running out of raw materials.
Advantages of Sodium-ion Batteries
- Resource Efficiency: Sodium-ion batteries are far better in terms of mineral resource scarcity compared to lithium-ion batteries.
- Climate Impact: Their carbon footprint ranges between 60 and 100 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents per kilowatt-hour of electricity storage capacity, lower than previous estimates for sodium-ion batteries.
- Potential for Further Improvements: The researchers also identified ways to make these batteries even more climate-friendly. For instance, developing a better electrolyte could reduce the overall environmental impact.
- Abundant Materials: The key advantage of sodium-ion batteries is that they’re made from abundant materials. The cathode uses sodium ions, while the anode is made of hard carbon, which can be sourced from biomass like forest industry waste.
- Geopolitical Stability: These batteries can be made from materials found worldwide, reducing reliance on specific regions. This could mean less geopolitical risk for both battery manufacturers and countries.
Today, sodium-ion batteries are set to be used for stationary energy storage in electricity grids. And with further development, they might also power electric vehicles.
Energy storage is vital for expanding wind and solar power, and these batteries could play a crucial role in this transition.
The Chalmers University study is a step forward in making energy storage more sustainable. By focusing on batteries made from abundant raw materials, we can reduce dependencies and accelerate the shift to a fossil-free society.
This exciting technology could be the key to a more sustainable and stable supply of energy storage materials.
